The Ties That Bind: A Marauder's Tale
by Ktoddhim
Summary: Follow the Marauders Lily and Severus and the rest as they go through life at Hogwarts! Love, loss and much much more will ensue! yay!


Disclaimer:

I own none of this! Too bad, but oh well. I'm just glad to be able to write my own thingy on it. So I own the plot. Of course this kind of story has been done many times. Enjoy!

Chapter one: Life At Home

Severus Snape lay on his bed thinking. In a matter of time, he knew his Hogwarts letter would arrive. Excitement welled up in him at the thought. He would finally be able to get away from his overbearing father and sad mother. As he was thinking, he felt a light tap on his hand.

"Master Severus? You is getting a letter."

"Oh, thank you Tarna. Just set it over there if you'd be so kind."

"Yes, Master Severus, I is doing as you ask." Severus couldn't help but smile at the little elf's antics. Tarna was the only one who truly understood what it was like beside himself to live in this house with Septimius as master.

"Tarna thinks it is your Hogwarts letter. I is proud of you master Severus," the elf squealed softly while hugging his leg.

"Thank you again Tarna. Now, if I were you, I would go and work before Septimius finds you here. You know what will happen if you are caught do you not?"

"Yes master Severus, bye." Severus nodded and got up to get dressed. He decided to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow rather than today.

Downstairs, Severus sat alone at the table. He was glad for the times he was alone during his meals. He didn't have to deal with his father making mean remarks about how worthless his mother was, and how Severus was going to end up soft because of her. His mother didn't say words against what Septimius said, but she gave Severus what comfort she could whenever the chance presented itself.

Rylia Snape had once been a beautiful woman. Years of living with Septimius Snape had dulled her personality and looks. If it were not for Severus, she would have given up fighting. With Severus there, she had something to live for. She had someone to love. Severus knew that in some strange way, Rylia loved his father. But being only eleven, the why of it was beyond him.

James Potter woke up to the smell of bacon cooking. He was hungry so he quickly jumped out of bed and got dressed for the day.

"Hi mum," he said happily.

"Morning James. I believe there is a letter here that you might like to see?" James's eyes widened and he put out his hand.

"My Hogwarts letter! It's here!"

"Of course, did ya think it wouldn't come?" asked James's father smiling.

"Well, kinda," James said before tearing into the letter. He read the fact that he was accepted before looking at his mother with happiness shining in his eyes.

"So, do I get a broom like you promised me?"

"nice try young man. You know perfectly well that I never said any such thing. Also first years are not allowed their own." James sighed in defeat, but instantly brightened.

"Can I write Siri a letter?"

"Yes, just no planning pranks." James only smiled and skipped off.

"James Potter was a boy who had everything he could ever want. A manner, loving parents, and all that. He knew that his friend Sirius had a manner, but did not have the pleasure of loving parents. In fact, they hated him. James always would invite Sirius over to play as an excuse to get him out of there for a while. He couldn't wait until they were both at Hogwarts where they could prank anyone who stood in their way.

Rushing up the stairs to his room, James wrote a quick letter saying that he got his letter and asking when his friend could go to Diagon Alley to get their supplies. Then he sent it off with his owl fickle.

"Ow! Get off me!" Sirius yelled as his brother landed all of his weight on top of him. For Sirius, this was not the best way to start the day.

"Merlin, you don't have to be so cranky in the morning baby brother," Regulus said in a mock hurt voice.

"Don't call me baby brother or I'll… I'll…"

"What, tell mum? You know she'll side with me anyway so there," his brother replied before sticking his nose in the air and walking out the door.

Sirius lay in bed and glared at the ceiling. He hated when his brother was so mean to him. Also there was the fact that Maylisha Black would side with her favorite, perfect son Regulus while Sirius was left to fend for himself just because he did not believe in what his family believed in. They believed that purebloods should be the only wizards to exist and that they were royalty.

Getting up slowly, he got dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast, not looking forward to seeing his family. They would all either ignore him or taunt him.

As he walked through the halls of the large house, he looked at the _decorations_ that his mother saw fit to put up. There were heads of past house elves who got too old to serve, portraits of previous black family members and many doors that for Sirius, would not open. He was sure that dark objects resided in many of them.

As he reached the door to the kitchen, he heard the voices of his family.

".such a wimp. He's not even fit to live here and I wish he was gone."

"I know Reg, but we cannot make him until he does something that truly makes me want to delete him from the tapestry." Sirius had enough of listening to them so he walked into the room and sat down at the table. A plate of slightly burnt toast popped up in front of him and he ate without complaint.

The table was silent as they all finished their breakfast. Then Melisha pulled out two letters and threw them at Sirius.

"These came for you. One of them is your Hogwarts letter I expect."

Sirius grinned and tore open the first letter to see the expected acceptance writing. He ignored his booklist in favor of looking at his best friend James's letter. He smiled as he saw his friend's writing about pranking the teachers before standing up from the table and turning towards the door. He was stopped however, by his mother's sharp tones.

"Sirius, you know you'll not be consorting with any mudbloods while you are at Hogwarts." This was said in such a casual manner that Sirius wanted to throw something at the woman. Yes, she was his mother, but she hadn't treated him as her son. She had belittled him all his life and it was about time that he stood up for himself.

"I will talk to whoever I want," he spat, and left the room, hands clenched into tight fists that made his knuckles turn white and his nails dig into his palms.

In his room, he composed a letter to Hogwarts accepting the invite and one to James saying what fun they would have and confirming the date for when they would go to Diagon Alley.

"Lily Evans rummaged in her hairbasket, looking for her favorite hairtie. She wanted it back, and she was sure that her sister Petunia had it. Standing up from her bed with discarded ties scattered all over it, she rushed down the stairs, a determined look on her face.

"Petunia, where's my hairtie!" Lily said angrily.

"What are you talking about? I don't have your stupid tie," said Petunia her hands upon her head where the tie sat.

"You have it, and you didn't ask me before you took it!"

"Get out of the way; I'm watching my favorite show."

"Well, maybe if you'd…"

"Girls, what is going on here?" A woman stood in the doorway, hands on her hips and her red hair thrown over one shoulder. She had similar looks as Lily. If it were up to Lily, she would prefer to think her sister adopted.

After all, there was no likeness between the two of them. Petunia had large teeth, a long neck that was sure to grow longer, and a hi screechy voice that grated on the nerves if heard too long. She had once asked her mother why her sister was so different, and had gotten in deep trouble.

"Now, you will not speak that way about your sister young lady," and so on and so forth.

Pet took my favorite hairtie without asking," Lilly said, trying to keep calm despite her groaning rage.

"I did not. I asked you last night and you said y…"

"No I didn…" The lights flickered, and the TV flipped from channel to channel rapidly.

"Hey! I was watching that!" screeched Petunia indignantly. "I knew you were a freak and the letter only confirmed it!"

"Well, too bloody bad! And you're just jealous because I've got magic and you don't!" Lily shot back.

"Lillian Marie Evans!" Lily only slammed her door in reply.

She plopped onto her bed and put her face into her hands. She was so annoyed with her sister. She always was thinking she was superior and Lily hated it. She had gotten a strange letter saying that she was a witch and inviting her to a school called Hogwarts. Lily wanted to go, but when she told her family, Petunia had gone wild, calling her a freak and saying she never wanted anything to do with her.

Of course it didn't matter that she had stolen her freak of a sister's tie. She didn't want to be hated by Petunia, but what could she do? Magic couldn't be taken away, and Lily wanted to learn about it in any case. Her parents had gotten a letter of instruction explaining how to go to Diagon Alley and tomorrow, they'd be off to see the wondrous place. Tomorrow Lily would see if this letter was real.

Sighing, she took out her second favorite hairtie and twisted her long red hair up into a bun. Then she headed downstairs for breakfast.

Remus stared disconsolately out the window. He knew that his Hogwarts letter was due any day, but what if it didn't come? What if his condition had made the headmaster decide not to accept him?

He wanted to go so bad. His parents had gone, and their parents before. His sister would go in two years time and Remus didn't know what he would do if he was the only one in the family who didn't go. It was a sad thought, but he kept his hopes up.

"Remus, come down for breakfast," called his mother.

"K mum," he said as he slowly turned from the window. He was hungry and he knew he couldn't spend the whole morning staring at the street. It would get rather boring.

"C'mon Remus! Mum made pancakes!" His nine-year-old sister raced into his room and threw her arms around him.

"Well, g'morning Cara. I was just about to come when you barged in here." She only smiled at him, and he shook his head. Picking her up, he set her on his shoulders and headed downstairs.

"Ahhh, Remy!" she squealed as he tickled her sides.

"Call me that again and you'll get more of it." He said as he laughed with her.

Remus had always had a close relationship with his sister. At the age of five, he had been bitten by a werewolf. Cara had been 3 and she had refused to leave him. She would come in and do what she could for him. She would cry at his pain and from then on they were close. Oh, they had been close before then, but after that, they were inseparable.

Remus plopped Cara into a chair and slid into the one next to her. His mouth watered at the smell of the fluffy looking pancakes and he gladly took a couple.

"Oh, Remus," said his father.

"Huh?"

"A letter came for you last night. You were sleeping so the owl came to us instead."

"I thought they only went to the person the letter was meant for?" Remus was curious about that. He was relieved that his letter was there!

"Ordinarily yes, but as we're your guardians and you didn't wake up for anything, the owl came to us."

"Oh, I see."

"Yay! You're goin' to Hogwarts! But I'll miss you Remy." Cara hugged him. Remus smiled.

"I am glad I get to go. I wasn't sure I might."

"Albus Dumbledore wouldn't keep someone from the school unless he had a reason. You know there will be steps you will have to take, but it will be fine," his mother said reassuringly.

"So when should we go to Diagon Alley?" asked his father.

"Today!" Cara said excitedly.

"No Cara, I have work. I think tomorrow would be better," said mum. Cara calmed down and continued eating.

"Tomorrow it is then. Remus don't lose that list of yours."

"Oh, believe me, I won't."

Remus headed upstairs, excited for tomorrow. He was so glad Dumbledore had let him in! Maybe he would make friends! Either way, he knew his life would change.


End file.
